How many games does it take to win a Premiership? How long is a piece of string?

Since 1878, the Norwood Football club has been blessed with 27 league premierships as well as 19 at reserves level; under 19s have won 17, under 17s won 9, and the under 16s won in 2009.

However, over the years we have experienced several lean periods at league level when it comes to ultimate success; those periods being 1908-1921, 1930-1940, 1951-1974, 1985-1996 and from 1998 to 2011.

This got me thinking – how many players have played the least number of games, those who played the most games before winning a premiership with Norwood. Additionally, I wanted to know how many footballers have played the most football at Norwood without being rewarded with a league premiership.

For example, Perc McCallum began in 1930, the year after the1929 premiership, and ended in 1940, the year before our next flag in 1941. At least he had the honour of coaching that team to the flag. Goal kicking ace Bruce Schultz (124 games) was unlucky when a career ending knee injury prevented him from playing in the 1941 premiership team.

There are currently 51 players from 1907 who have played 100 games or more for the club, yet have not tasted premiership success.

Perhaps the most fortunate players were those who played the least number of games for Norwood before tasting success.

These players are:
2 games Cecil l Martin (1925), Ron Reimann (1948)
3 games John ‘Mick’ Rudd (1948)
4 games Oswald Murphy (1907), Reg Plunkett (1923), Ron Mcdougall (1925), Brian Burke (1946)
5 games Ern Wadham (1922)
6 games William Pedder (1948) 7 games Alexander ‘ Pat’ Hall (1948)
More recent players are Brian Adamson who played 8 games in 1978, (although he previously played for West Perth), Jim Thiel who played in the 1975 premiership after only 9 games, and Glen Vardanega played his 9th game in the 1984 grand Final.

These statistics highlight the contrasting fortunes of many players in the club’s history. The most poignant figures are for those who gave outstanding service over the long, lean periods without ever reaping the reward of a Norwood premiership.